StyleEase uses WorldCat data to help automate citations for students

22 January 2014

The partnership provides quick search access to the world’s library collection via WorldCat. The data is available through the WorldCat Search API as a part of the WorldShare Platform. The WorldShare platform gives flexible, open access to the shared library data of the cooperative, so that students can discover, cite and create lists for information in e-books, books, chapters, magazines, newspapers, websites, journals, films and more.

One of the citation services' advantages is that it lets users view the citation format as they enter their information, so they learn how to reference materials as they go.

StyleEase uses WorldCat data to quickly fill citation information. It then formats and compiles a bibliography according to the guidelines of whichever style manual the user selects. Manual entry is also an option.

"We are thrilled to expand our citation management partnership program with StyleEase," said Cindy Cunningham, OCLC Director, Partner Programs. "StyleEase products serve the academic software world with a remarkably error-free history." Other citation partners using WorldCat data include EasyBib, BibMe, Citavi, Cite This For Me, EndNote, OttoBib, RefWorks, T and Biscuits and WriteCite.

StyleEase owes its beginnings to the organization’s founder, Gary Hillerson, who wrote his psychology Master's thesis in APA format. He used his software and technical writing background to develop the original APA-style software product, FormatEase, in 1991. Following the success of that product and other products for students and professionals who need to write in other formats, the organization built on his expertise to develop StyleEase for Chicago/Turabian Style and StyleEase for MLA Style.

"Partnering with OCLC gives StyleEase users complimentary access to WorldCat, the world's largest online library catalog. WorldCat gives students and professional researchers the ability to search library catalogs, access source materials from libraries and download citations directly into their papers. Then, they can store them in our cloud based system,” said Susan Parrish, Director of Marketing for StyleEase.